Boy dies despite officers' efforts

October 10, 2008 2:47:03 PM PDT

Eyewitness News

BROOKLYN --

An 11-day-old boy died after two police officers rushed the infant to the hospital Friday, not even letting a stopped elevator in a city apartment building get in their way. Authorities say the infant was in cardiac arrest when the officers arrived at the 14th floor apartment in the Van Dyke Houses, in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, just after 9 a.m.

The two officers, assigned to the 73rd Precinct, reportedly took the boy from his mother and ran to the elevator.

But as it was descending, the elevator stopped for an unknown reason, trapping the two officers inside.

After 20 seconds of not being able to make the elevator move, the two police officers forced open the doors, officials said.

Police say they climbed out of the elevator onto the eighth floor and ran, with the infant, down eight flights of stairs. They then hopped into their patrol car and rushed the boy to Brookdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The building is part of the Van Dyke Houses, maintained by the city Housing Authority, which was looking into the matter.